Package



Dec. 14, 1937. A. .1. NELSON ET AL PACKAGE Filed May 29, 1936 IN VEN TORS MM ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 14, 1937 PACKAGE Arthur J. Nelson, Milwaukee, and John H. Olsen,

Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignors to Pulp Reproduction Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 29, 1936, Serial No. 82,466

3 Claims. (01. 22962) Our present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of merchandizing commodities, and relates more specifically to an improved mode of packing relatively granular edible substances in attractive containers or wrappers.

Generally defined, an object of our present invention is the provision of an attractive package which will facilitate the merchandizing of commodities such as candy and confections.

It has long been the endeavor of manufacturers of seasonal candies and confections, such as Valentine Day hearts, Easter eggs, Halloween corn, Christmas specialties, or the like, to provide effective and attractive wrappers for batches of such commodities which will not only thoroughly conceal and protect the product, but will also reduce to a minimum the sales effort involved in its disposal. When wrapped, such products should not only be completely enclosed in substantially moisture-proof closures, but the commodity should be visible through the wrapper and should also be readily accessible. The package should also be decorated with indicia representative of the season or occasion for which the product is especially fitted, and all prior known attempts to produce a faultless package of this character have failed to materialize.

Our present invention therefore contemplates provision of a new and useful container for special or seasonal candies or confections, which incorporates all of the above mentioned desirable features, and which can be manufactured and sold at moderate cost.

Another specific object of our invention is to provide an improved wrapper and closure therefor, which portray seasonal characteristics corresponding to those of the enwrapped commodity, and which also permit observation of the contents without opening the package.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide an improved package comprising a main container decorated to represent the body of an animal or human being, and having a closure portraying a head corresponding to the body formed by the container itself.

Still another specificobject of the invention is the provision of an improved mode of closing a flexible commodity container, whereby the enclosed end of the container cooperates with the closure to provide an attractive appearance while at the same time constituting an elfective seal.

An additional specific object of our invention is to provide an improved bag for the reception of relatively granular substance, and an improved closure therefor constructed of material such as formed pulp, these elements cooperating to produce a highly attractive and readily saleable package. .7

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of several commercial embodiments of our present invention, and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing packages bag or body portion of the package of Fig. 1;

and

Fig. 3 is a front view of another form of our improved package, especially adapted for Halloween trade.

While we have illustrated two specific embodiments of our present invention especially adapted for Easter and Halloween display and sale,

it is not the intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope, since it is contemplated to utilize the improvement in many other forms, as for example the head of a Santa Claus with the bag appropriately decorated to represent thebody, or the head of a Mickey Mouse cooperating with a bag bearing mouse characters. 7

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the package specifically shown therein is obviously especially adapted for Easter trade, and comprises a bag-like container 5 formed of flexible transparent sheet material such as glassine paper or Cellophane, having rabbit legs 6 printed thereon with relatively opaque ink; an end closure .1 for the top of the bag made of formed'pulp and simulating the head of a rabbit having a neck portion 8 of locally reduced diameter disposed within the upper end of the baglikecontainer 5; a tie-band 9 of cord or rubber coacting with the container end portion and with the neck portion 8 of the head to provide a continuous ruffied collar IE; and a batch of small candy eggs I! of various colors confined within the container 5 by the closure 1 and the band 8. The container 5 is preferably preformed and may be decorated in any suitable manner, printing being found preferable for quantity production. The sheet material used in producing the bag-like containers 5 should also be relatively tough in order to avoid tearing, and the legs 6 are preferably applied to the opposite side portions of the bag so as to provide transparent areas therebetween at the front of the package so that the contents are readily visible. The back of the container 5 may also bear indicia designating the origin of the package or otherwise, but may also be left free from such indicia. These bag-like containers 5 may obviously be folded flatwise for compact shipment before they are filled with commodity.

The closure 1 which if constructed of formed pulp, is preferably hollow and is very light but relatively strong. These closures may be colored to conform with the colors used in the bag decorations, thereby producing a highly attractive and esthetic appearance. The neck portion 8 of the head-like closure may be inserted within the open upper end of the bag-like container 5 after the latter has been properly filled with commodity such as eggs I I, so that the bottom of the closure 1 rests upon the batch of commodity. The tie-band 9 may be thereafter applied to the upper portion of the bag at the reduced neck portion 8 and drawn inwardly to firmly attach the closure I to the container 5, thereby producing the continuous ruffled collar Hi. The collar It may also be decorated to simulate lace thereby enhancing the attractiveness, and may finally be folded downwardly over the tie-band 9 to conceal the latter. While this method of closing the package produces an effective seal, the container 5 may be readily opened to permit access to the eggs II by merely removing the tie-band 9 and withdrawing the closure 1.

In Fig. 3 we have illustrated a modified package especially adapted for Halloween trade and comprising a 7 container 5' having relatively opaque decorations 6' thereon; a head-like closure I having a recessed neck portion 8 formed integral therewith; a tie-band coacting with the recess of the neck portion 8' to provide a continuous rufiied collar I0; and a batch of candy corn ll confined within the container 5 by the closure 1' and the tie-band.

This modified package obviously portrays the spirit of Halloween in the form of a witch, and the container 5' is again preferably formed of tenacious flexible transparent sheet material having the decorations 6 applied thereto by printing or otherwise. The closure 1 partaking the shape of a head is likewise preferably produced from formed pulp or similar strong but light material, and the tie-back used to attach the head to the bag may be formed of ribbon, cord or an elastic band. The collar i0 may be left uncolored or decorated, and the kernels of candy corn H are usually colored yellow or orange to simulate actual kernels. The modified package may be sealed or opened in the same manner as the Easter package previously described, and possesses all of the advantages thereof.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides an improved wrapper and closure therefor, having a highly attractive appearance, and adapted to thoroughly protect and conceal the contents of the package. The invention is especially suited to seasonal production for various holiday seasons of the year, and may obviously be applied to various types of packages other than those specifically illustrated and described herein. The several elements of the improved assemblage may be produced in quantity at moderate cost and may be readily assembled and dismantled. The improved container structure permits visual observation of the contents without breaking the seal, and while being highly transparent, it is not susceptible of being readily torn or broken as would be the case with a glass container. The ruffled collar produced by applying the tie-band, also enhances the appearance of the package and enhances the seal, and the invention has proven highly popular with the trade because of its extreme simplicity, effectiveness, and esthetic qualities. 7

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit our present invention to the exact details of construction of the packages herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in. this particular art.

We claim:

1. A package, comprising, a flexible transparent bag-like container bearing indicia simulating part of an object, a rigid closure for the open end of said container simulating the remaining parts of'said object, said closure having an enlarged end insertible within the container end and a continuous annular recess directly adjoining said end, and means coacting with said container and with the recess and enlarged end of said closure to secure these parts together.

2. A package, comprising, a flexible transparent bag-like container having relatively opaque indicia thereon. simulating parts of the body of an animal or human being, a rigid closure for the open end of said container simulating a head cooperable with said body indicia, said head-like closure having an enlarged lower end and a recessed neck portion directly adjoining said enlarged end, and means coacting with the open end portion of said container and with the recess of said neck portion to attach said'closure to said container and to direct the bag end outwardly in the form of a collar.

3. A package, comprising, a flexible bag-like container having an open upper end, a rigid closure for said open container end simulating a head, said head-like closure having enlarged upper and lower portions and a continuous annular recess representing a neck portion located between said enlarged portions, and a tie band coacting with the exterior of said open container end portion and with the recess of said headlike closure to attach said closure to the interior of said container and toform a ruflled collar coacting with the upper enlarged portion of said closure.

ARTHUR J. NELSON.

JOHN H. OLSEN. 

